Fire-escape.



K. O. ELMQVIST.

FIRE ESCAPE- 4 vAIHLIUATION FILED JAN. 27, 1914.

Patented June 30,1914.

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K. O. ELMQVIST.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIGATION FILED 111N127, 1914- Patented June 30, 1914,

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KARL OSCAR ELMQVIST', OF KRISTIANSTAD, SWEDEN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 30, 11914.

Application filed January 27, 1914. Serial No. 814,703.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KARL Oscar: ELM- QVIST, mechanician, residing at Norra Kaserngatan 6 1-66, Kristianstad, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, More Particularly for Fire-Rescue Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved portable and easily attachable appliance for the conveyance of persons and goods, more particularly for rescue purposes in case of fire.

According to my invention a rope guided over a holding beam is provided at each end with a hanger, hook or the like, which serves for the attachment of a basket or car, arranged to travel on a track or guide rope attached to the beam and to some other con venient support. Preferably I provide a brake-device on the beam, for regulating the velocity of the cars.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, which show one form of construction, Figure 1 being a perspective elevation, Fig. 2 a side view, with the brakedevice omitted, Fig. 3 a front view of the holding beam, Fig. 4-. a section on the line AB of Fig. 3, to a larger scale, and Fig. 5 a front view of the trolley, to a larger scale.

In the drawings, 1 designates a hollow holding beam of iron or hard wood, quadrangular in cross section, having at each end two hooks or eyes 2, fixed to it by means of a frame 3. With the beam arranged as shown in Fig. 1, each of the hooks 2 lying uppermost has attached to it a wire rope 4 dividing into two branches 5 and 6, the branch (3 being attached to a pin 7 and the branch 5 carrying an S-shaped hook 8. Between the other hooks 2, and stakes 9 fixed to the ground, are stretched guide ropes 10. The beam has apertures through which project rollers 11, 12 mounted therein, and a rope 13, to which the cars are attached, passes over these rollers. The rollers 12 are controlled by a brake device comprising two members 14:, 15 of U-section pivoted between bearing plates 16 which are mounted on a pivot passing through the beam. The member 14: has pivoted to it, at the end remote from the plates 16, twoplates 17 joined to each other by a cross-piece 18. The latter has a tapped eye, whereby it is engaged with the screw-threaded part 19 of a shank 20,

the screw 19 being right-handed. The

same to be turned, so that the members 14 I and 15 are moved to or form each other, and by this means brake shoes '24 carried by these members can be pressed against the rollers 12, or against the rope 13 traveling on same.

The baskets or cars 25 are attached to hangers26. To the inside surfaces of the branched arms 27 of these hangers are fixed iron plates 28 serving as bearings for rollers 29, 30, mounted within the housings formed by the said plates. The hangers travel on the ropes 10 by means of the rollers 29, and the rollers 30, lying under the ropes, serve as guides preventing tilting of the hangers when they are pulled upward with a light load. Wooden wedges 31 between the plates v28 serve for attaching the ends of the rope 13 and lie between the arms of yokes 32. The rope end passes through the yoke 32 and around the wedge, and is clamped tight in a channel at the upper part by a clamping screw 33 having a pressblock 3 1. The screw works in a tapped eye 35 carried by the yoke, and has a handle 36. The free rope end issuing from between the plates 28 is wound upon a reel 37 carried by the plates.

For fire-rescue purposes, as from the window 33 shown in Fig. 1, the appliance is taken up by means of the mechanical rescue ladder or the like, and the beam is made fast by fixing the staples 7 into the wall. The hooks 8 may be engaged with a transom or the like, and the beam may be wedged by pieces inserted against the walls. The guide ropes 10 are made fast on the ground by means of the stakes 9 or other convenient means, the general disposition being adapted to the existing circumstances and care being taken to avoid as far as possible flames issuing from lower windows. The ropes 10 may, for example, be carried across to a building on the opposite side of the road. The lower ends thereof may, if convenient, be made fast before the holding beam is fixed. One of the cars is then let down, and the length of rope 13 between the cars is then adjusted, according to the length of the journey, by means of the reels 37 and clamping devices 31, 32, 33. Conveyance of persons and goods from the window can then take place, each ca in turn traveling down loaded, and pulling up the empty car, and the velocity of the cars being regulated by means of the brake.

The apparatus is very reliable and easily portable, and can be Worked by a single person.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. in a lire escape more particularly for fire-rescue purposes, the combination of a holding bean'i, a conveyor-rope guided on said beam, has ers or hooks for baskets or cars, the said hangers or hooks being provided with plates fixed thereto to form housings for rollers to engage between them tracks-ems attached to said beam, for the travel oi said hangers or hooks, Wedges in the said housinggjs, yokes embracing said Wedges, and clamping screws lor clampino the said conveyer-rope, when it has passeu through said yolces and around said Wedges.

2. in a lire escape more particularly for ire-rescue purposes the combination of a holding beam, a conveyor-rope guided on said beam an d haying at each end means for the attachment of a basket or car, trackropes attached to said beam, for the travel of said baskets or cars, bean1-fixi11gropes attached to said beam and provided at their ends with staples and hooks and frames at each end of said beam, each frame having two hooks or eyes for the attachment of said track-ropes and said beam-fixing ropes.

3. In a fire escape more particularly for fire-rescue purposes the combination of a holding beam, a eonyeyer-rope guided on said beam, hangers or hooks for baskets or cars, the said hangers or hooks being provided with plates fixed thereto to form housings for rollers to engage between them track-ropes attached to said beam, for the travel of said hangers or hooks, Wedges in the said housings, yokes embracing said. 1

Wedges, clamping screw for clamping the said conveyor-rope, when it has passed through said yolzes and around said Wedges and reels carried by the said plates for Winding the free ends 01: said conveyorropes.

In testnuon whereof I aihx in 1 s1 nature y 1 :3 in presence or two Witnesses.

KARL OSCAR ELMO' IST.

Witnesses N In PRIEN, J. PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

